CHRIS Hani Baragwanath Hospital has suffered another blow in less than two days.
More cooper pipes have been cut and stolen. This time in theatre.
The Gauteng Department of Health said this could be a deliberate attempt to sabotage the facility.
Motalatale Modiba, the department’s spokesman, said on Wednesday, 21 December, the nursing staff in theatre 15 and 16 suddenly noticed water sipping from the autoclave system – an equipment sterilisation machine in theatres.
Modiba said it was then discovered that the cooper pipes from the plant room had been tampered with.
He said: “Sadly, in what appears to be a concerted effort of sabotage by criminal actors, the facility suffered yet another incident which put patients’ lives at risk.
“Cooper pipes from a plant room supplying two general surgery theatres with high pressured water were cut and stolen, leaving the theatre cooling system comprised,” said Modiba.
“Given the nature of the incidents, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to destabilise the facility, thus endangering the lives of thousands of people who depend on the public health service.”
On Monday, 24 patients were moved from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to another ward after 10 estimated copper pipes were stolen, which supply the unit with oxygen.
The process to move back patients to the affected ICU was successfully completed after a contractor replaced the pipes, the department said.
A case of theft has since been opened at Diepkloof Police Station.
Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has called for perpetrators to be charged with attempted murder.
